China's 5 big tech issues for 2022

China's tech crackdown
In November 2020, what would have been a world record-setting initial public offering of fintech giant Ant Group was suspended.

Following that, Beijing introduced a slew of new rules in areas from antitrust for internet platforms and a bolstered data protection law. Both e-commerce giant Alibaba and food delivery firm Meituan have faced antitrust fines.

Semiconductors
The continuing technology rivalry between the U.S. and China has added urgency to Beijing's push for increased self-sufficiency across a variety of sectors. One of those is semiconductors, which are critical for everything from cars to mobile phones.

'Frontier' tech
The semiconductor industry is just one of many industries where China is trying to boost its credentials.

In its five-year development plan, the 14th of its kind, released earlier this year, Beijing said it would make "science and technology self-reliance and self-improvement a strategic pillar for national development."

The plan identifies areas which Beijing sees as "frontier technology" — artificial intelligence (AI) and space travel.

Electric vehicles
Another area that China is emphasizing — and one which investors know well — is electric vehicles. The industry is part of its drive to reduce emissions and pledge to become carbon neutral by 2060.

China's economic slowdown
China's technology giants now are having to cope with a slowing Chinese economy.

A number of factors including power shortages and efforts to rein in debt-fueled expansion in the real estate sector have added to other economic challenges, such as sluggish consumer spending.